


Cora's Ghost

by raeinspace



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-03 02:45:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11522898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raeinspace/pseuds/raeinspace
Summary: Not quite Casper the friendly ghost, even though she got her heart back before she died, Cora has returned. Her task, to persuade Regina to let go of Daniel and move on. Eventual SQ (if she succeeds).





	Cora's Ghost

 

Chapter 1.

 

Regina turned the volume up and tried to drown out her thoughts with the music. There were still spaces between the songs though, and for those few seconds she was tortured by what she had done. What Snow White had made her do.

She could still picture her mothers face with a genuinely happy smile. She could hear the words spoken with real love for the first time. As she wrapped her arms around her stomach, Regina could still recall the way her mother had felt in her arms as she died.

_“I love you Regina.”_

The words were spoken in her mother’s voice, but they didn’t sound like a memory. Regina turned around, expecting to see someone standing there witnessing her pain. The room was empty.

Then she remembered that her mother had been in this room. She had comforted her over loosing Henry, and told her they would get him back together. Regina tried walking into another room, but she could still feel Cora’s presence, could still smell her perfume lingering in the air.

She ran down the stairs and grabbed her coat before heading outside.

~~~

The rain was so cold as it hit her face and her breath was visible in the dark, chilled air. Regina kept walking, keeping her head down and wishing she wasn’t alone. The sensible residents of Storybrooke were safely tucked up in their beds, including (she hoped) Henry. Even at the sound of the tyres on wet tarmac she didn’t look up. Headlights swept past and then there was silence again.

Turning the corner, Regina walked straight into Emma. She mumbled an apology and kept walking. The Sheriff asked her a question. Regina ignored her and kept walking.

“Hey.” Emma ran after her and grabbed Regina’s arm.

“What?” Regina barked, tucking her hands deeper into her pockets, desperate to find some warmth.

“I asked if you were okay.”

“Just leave me alone.”

“Regina…”

Regina shivered and tried to turn away. “Good night Miss Swan.”

Emma held onto her arm. She looked at the ex-mayor and noticed the way her hair stuck to the side of her face where her hood failed to protect it from the rain. The woman in front of her didn’t look like the Regina she knew at all.

“Come with me.” Emma didn’t give her a chance to argue; she just pulled Regina along behind her and headed for the Sheriff’s station.

The keys for the front door were on the same key ring as the one for Mary Margaret’s place and she managed to unlock it one-handed.

“What do you think you’re doing? Are you arresting me?” Regina asked.

“Don’t be silly. There’s no-one here, get inside.”

Emma nudged her through the open door, fumbling for the light switch. She shivered in the cold air and sought out the thermostat for the heating. Keeping herself between Regina and the exit, she herded them towards the kitchen.

“Miss Swan…”

“I’m making you a hot drink, and we’re both going to get warmed up as soon as the heating kicks in.”

“I am perfectly capable of having both of those at home.”

Emma ignored her and filled the kettle. “What are you doing out in this weather?”

“None of your business.”

“Come on Regina, you can talk to me.” Emma quickly moved to intercept her from exiting through the door.

Their bodies were so close, suddenly much closer than they had ever been. Emma felt goosebumps running along her skin as she stared at Regina. She wondered if Regina had the same reason for not moving. Then she blinked and it seemed the moment had passed.

Regina stepped back. “Personal space, Miss Swan.”

“Sorry, your majesty.”

“Should I call your princess, or Miss White, now you know who your parents are?”

“You tell me.”

Regina smiled, finally pulling back her hood. She was satisfied that she could still hold her own against Emma.

“One drink.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking less than perfect.” Emma commented, picking out the two cleanest-looking cups.

Regina raised a hand to her hair as if only just realising that it was wet. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Like you don’t know.” Emma turned back to see her reaction.

Regina looked a little scared by the intense look in Emma’s eyes. “I am _not_ perfect.”

“I didn’t say you were. I just said you always _look_ perfect.”

“Miss Swan…”

“Don’t look so worried. I’m not expecting a compliment in return, I know what you think of my appearance.”

“You do?” The words tumbled from Regina’s lips before she could stop them. “I mean… I have made my feelings on your outfits clear, but I am also aware that they could be worse.”

Emma smiled. “Thanks.”

The kettle began to tremble and let out steam as it finished boiling. Regina moved forward to help Emma with the drinks, but Emma’s own movement in that direction caused them to collide. Emma grabbed hold of Regina’s elbows to keep her balance and when she looked up she found her face was close enough for their noses to touch. This time Emma wanted to count how long it took Regina to move away. When she reached five, she smiled. At ten, she loosened her grip on Regina’s elbows and shifted her hands around Regina’s waist. Regina still hadn’t moved, so she tilted her head and took a chance.

The kiss sent warmth through her lips and spread throughout the rest of body. Emma couldn’t feel Regina trying to move away, but she wasn’t really participating in the kiss either. She ran her tongue along Regina’s lower lip, hoping for a reaction. Finally Regina jerked away, her hands pushing at Emma’s and breathing heavily.

“What the hell was that?” She asked, still backing away.

“Nothing. I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened.”

“You kissed me.”

Emma panicked. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”

“How do you accidentally kiss someone?” Regina persisted.

“You didn’t move away.”

“You bumped into me!”

“I know!” Emma ran a hand through her hair. “Damn it!”

A few seconds of silence later and Regina spoke up again. “I should have just kept walking.”

“It was raining and you were getting soaked. Were you trying to catch a cold or something? Where was your umbrella? Or even your car?”

“It wasn’t raining when I left, _obviously_.”

“It started raining hours ago.”

“Suggesting that I began my walk _hours ago_.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “That’s a long time for a walk.”

“My life is private. Nothing that should concern the town Sheriff.”

“Hey, _I_ was worried. _Me_ , Emma…”

“Careful Miss Swan.” Regina warned her, holding up a hand to ensure the other woman kept her distance.

Emma shrugged her shoulders. “Fine, if you don’t want to be friends…”

A small chuckle escaped from Regina. “ _Friends_?”

“Is it so hard to imagine? Or I am just not good enough to be your friend?”

“I don’t understand why you’d want to be…”

“Jeez, I’d have thought you’d be used to everyone…”

“Oh, sure; those who want status and power. Is that what this is about? Is that why you kissed me?”

“What?!”

Regina nodded as though she finally understood Emma and stepped towards her. “It all makes sense now.”

“Regina, no…”

But Regina was too close for Emma to remember the words to finish her sentence. She leant in, one arm going around Emma’s waist to hold her nearer. Her other hand stroked across Emma’s cheek, and she watched as the younger woman’s eyes widened at the contact.

“I can play those kinds of games Miss Swan. All you had to do was tell me what you wanted.”

“I don’t want…”

“Shh.” Regina placed a finger to Emma’s lips. “No lies. Just tell me the truth.”

Emma closed her eyes, trying not to be distracted by the thought of Regina’s lips pressed against her own, instead of just her finger. She took a deep breath and looked into Regina’s eyes as she answered.

“You’re right. I wanted to kiss you, I’ve wanted to kiss you for a really long time.”

Regina smiled and replaced her finger with her lips. This time Emma felt the difference in the kiss as Regina took the lead.

“Anything else?” Regina asked when they paused for oxygen.

“That should probably wait until after the first date.” Emma tried to lighten the atmosphere with a joke.

Regina frowned. “That isn’t how this works.”

“How what works?” Emma felt Regina’s arm move away and wondered what she had done wrong.

“I think, perhaps, there has been a misunderstanding here.”

“No, I kissed you and now you’ve kissed me back. That means…”

“Nothing. Clearly you want things I can’t, or won’t give you. I’m not looking for a relationship.” _Love is weakness_.

Regina felt the need to get out of there. She knew she had to leave before Emma tried talking to her about it. Raising her hood she reached the front door, she ignored the voice calling her name. Her heels were unsteady on the wet pavement as she headed back out into the rain.

 

Chapter 2.

 

For the first time in nearly three decades, Regina slammed the front door to her mansion. Ignoring her promise to Henry, she used magic to lock it and kicked off her shoes, letting them thud against the wall. She rested her head against the door and with another wave of magic fixed her appearance. With the wet clothes gone and her hair dry, she felt a little better. Shaking off the feeling that she should pause and let the kiss with Emma sink in, she headed into the kitchen to pour a large tumbler of cider.

“You can’t drink away your problems.”

Glass shattered on the floor as Regina dropped her drink. She turned, looking for the voice she recognised so easily. Cora was standing in the doorway, watching her with a sad smile.

“Mother?” Regina shook her head. “You can’t be here. You’re dead.”

“I am, to answer both of your questions.”

“No, I’ve just had too much to drink…”

“You didn’t even take a sip…”

“Then I’m tired or dreaming…”

“No and no.” Cora took a step towards her daughter.

Regina backed into a cupboard and reached behind her for support. “Stay back.”

“Really dear, you don’t need to be afraid. You gave me back my heart, remember?”

“Then why are you here?”

“To help you.”

Regina didn’t look convinced.

“I’m dead. I can’t hurt you anymore.” Cora told her.

“Just go away.” Regina straightened her shoulders and pushed herself away from the cupboard.

She forced herself to walk through her mothers ghost, as if to prove that she wasn’t really there. Regina relaxed when nothing happened. She went to clear away the broken glass and poured herself another drink. Before she could drink it, Cora spoke again.

“Aren’t you tired of being alone?”

Regina ignored her and downed the dark liquid in one gulp. She grimaced as it hit the back of her throat, but the sensation distracted her from the hallucination of her mother and so she poured another.

“I raised you to be Queen, Regina. Drunkenness…”

“And there she is.” Regina raised her empty glass. “My real mother. You can’t fool me with that act of ‘ _don’t be afraid, I have my heart_ ’. This is the real Cora. ‘ _You’re a Queen Regina. Do this, do that._ Such _a disappointment_ ’. Will it never end?”

Regina put the tumbler down and crossed her arms. “You should be happy. Snow White finally shows her true colours, making me kill you and everyone still loves her. I hate her even more now, so why aren’t you here offering to help me get revenge?”

“I’m sorry.” Cora apologised.

The look on Cora’s face was one of sadness. It took Regina a moment to realise that. She had only seen genuine emotion on her mother’s face once.

“No, don’t try that again.” Regina told her, turning away. “I know you’re not really here. Pretending you care will only lead to more weakness. I…”

“I know about your kiss with Emma.”

Regina tensed at the words, only relaxing when Cora didn’t speak again. “A relationship with Emma would hurt Snow White. I was tempted. It would be such an easy way to destroy both women, but Henry would hate me. I need some other way, something that wouldn’t point directly to me.”

“You care for her.”

“Who?”

“Emma. That’s why you ran. You’re worried you have feelings for her, that you might even fall in love with her, but you don’t want to hurt her. You’re scared that because everyone sees you as the Evil Queen that one day you’ll revert to being that person and she’ll get hurt.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Only because you’re _not_ evil. You’ve changed and you’re strong enough to fight whatever darkness is lingering…”

“I haven’t changed. I blackened my heart and there’s no going back from that. Even Henry could see it.”

“Don’t give up hope…”

Regina laughed. “The day you crushed Daniel’s heart I lost all hope. It’s what _you_ wanted. Don’t worry, you’ve won. I am your daughter. I always will be.”

And with that, Regina walked from the room before her mother’s non-existent ghost could speak again.

~~~

“How did it go?”

The blank spaces of the meeting place didn’t provide any distractions for the two standing there. They didn’t mind. As only the souls of those who had died, they wouldn’t need chairs or other comforts. Their lives were behind them, the mistakes and actions unimportant.

Cora looked Daniel in the eye and shook her head. “She’s refusing to let herself move on.”

“You have to go back. Persuade her to let go and return to who she used to be.”

“Maybe I’m not the right person…”

“Don’t you want to help set things right?”

“Of course!”

“You know I’d go, if I could… You owe her.”

“I know! I tried…”

Daniel’s voiced cut her off in a tone she’d never heard him use before. “Not hard enough. You’ve got your heart back, now use it and help Regina find love again.”

“But Emma…”

“It’s not up to us who Regina’s heart chooses…”

“And if the Swan woman hurts her? Let me persuade Regina to be good, to not retaliate against Snow White. That should be enough.”

“No.” Daniel gave her a pained smile. “Regina needs to love and be loved in return. I can’t be there for her. You have to make sure she has someone who can.”

“Do you have any advice? I was only in love once before I removed my heart, I’m not sure…”

“You’re her mother. You love her, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let that guide you. Now, stop stalling and go help her.”

Cora nodded. “You’ll be here if I need you again?”

“That’s how this works.”

Cora vanished, leaving Daniel alone.

 

Chapter 3.

 

Regina turned away from the door, smiling. She had held Snow White’s heart in her hand. She had seen the pulsing blackness at its core and knew it would grow larger. Soon Snow White would be just like her. She walked into her study, staring at her hand every few seconds as if she could still feel it there.

Cora was sitting at her desk.

“Mother.” Regina greeted her with a wary smile.

She didn’t feel as afraid of her now. It had been a few days since she had last appeared and she was beginning to accept it to be a part of the grief over losing her. Of course, this was still an illusion of her mother and old habits, and fears, took time to overcome.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“The way you’ve been acting. You need to stop it right now before you push everyone who cares about you away.”

“Nonsense. No-one cares about me.”

“Henry does, and Emma if you’d let her.”

“They have each other now, they don’t need me. Emma will find a way to get back together with Neal, then Henry’s little family will be complete.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Why not? It’s true.”

Time to try another approach. “How did it feel when you kissed Emma?”

Regina blushed. “ _Mother_ …”

Cora stood from behind the desk and moved around it. “Like when you kissed Daniel? Or better?”

“I’m not discussing this with you.”

“Well if you won’t face Emma…”

“How can I?”

“She offered to be friends.” Cora reminded her.

“Just how long have you been watching me?”

“Long enough.”

“Then you know your plan is working. Snow White’s heart is darkening and soon Daniel will be avenged. She will destroy her own happiness.”

Cora shook her head. “That’s not what I want.”

“Then I guess I’ll continue to be a disappointment, won’t I?” Regina turned and walked from the room, using her magic to slam the door behind her.

She knew it wouldn’t stop a ghost from passing through to follow her, but she hoped her mother would take the hint to leave her alone. She needed to find out more about ghosts and if there was any way to make her mother leave, permanently. Being haunted by a mother with a heart was not part of her plans.

~~~

Gold’s shop was closed, but Regina had seen him walking with Belle along the beach so she knew he would be distracted. His wards were weak now. She found a small mouse crawling through the rubbish outside and transported it inside, watching from the window. There was a moment where the protective spells surged inwards to trap the creature. Regina used the crack and easily passed through them before they reset to ward off outside dangers. Once inside, she wouldn’t be considered a threat.

The Dark One certainly enjoyed hiding things. Regina found several of his secret locations, but none contained anything remotely useful. She gave herself half an hour to look, and when that time was up, teleported back outside.

Emma was standing in the alleyway.

“I saw you through the window.” She offered in explanation.

“Are you going to arrest me?”

“Depends. What were you doing?”

“Looking for something. I didn’t find it so the charge would just be breaking and entering.”

“Was this something dark magic related?”

“Is that any of your business?”

Emma smiled. “If you were planning to do something to hurt others, then yes.”

“No.”

“Okay.”

Regina raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to believe me? Just like that?”

Emma shrugged. “Shouldn’t I?”

“Talk to your mother. Ask her what happened when she came to see me.”

“She told me.”

“So you know I took her heart…”

“And put it back.”

“Perhaps you should see if you can ‘save’ her.”

“Is there a way?” Emma looked thoughtful.

“No.”

Emma frowned. “That almost felt like a lie.”

“Then your superpower is broken. Now, do we have to wait in the alley for Gold to return or can I go home?”

“I’d like to talk.”

“About the misunderstanding?”

“If that’s what you want to cal the kiss, then yes.”

“I’m busy.”

“I could just arrest you and put you in a jail cell. Then you’d have to talk to me.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Okay, maybe you wouldn’t have to speak, but you’d have to listen to me talking.” Emma reached for her handcuffs and held them out towards Regina. “Your choice.”

Regina sighed. “Not here.”

“Where?”

“Meet me in my office, one hour.”

Emma smiled. “I’ll be there.”

~~~

Emma rang her father, checking that everything was okay at the station. He’d offered to help out after Snow recovered from her depression. Apparently Regina not crushing her heart made her feel better. She had even returned to work at the school, in an attempt to prove everything was back to normal. Emma hadn’t been convinced. She had confronted her and used her lie detector to find out the truth. Her mother had confided in her about the darkness marking her now. Emma still didn’t understand how the whole heart-pulled-from-her-chest actually worked, but she was relieved that Regina hadn’t killed her.

After her conversation with Regina, she wondered if there was something Gold knew about reversing the effects. She knew he was spending the afternoon with Belle. The two of them had been frequently seen at the diner, and while she didn’t understand why Belle liked the _much_ older man, at least her presence made him more co-operative. She decided to track them down, hoping that Belle would encourage him to help her.

She had an hour to find them before her meeting with Regina. Luckily she bumped into Archie who had seen them as he took Pongo for a walk. Just as she spotted them, walking on the beach, her father rang.

 

Chapter 4.

 

Regina folded her arms as she looked at the clock. She couldn’t believe she was waiting for Emma. She still hadn’t figured out what she wanted to say.

_What could she say?_

Her mother’s words came back to her. Was she worried she might have feelings for Emma?

It didn’t matter. Nothing like that could ever happen between them.

_Except it already did._

Emma had kissed her. Had told her she would be willing to go on a date. Emma’s words “I wanted to kiss you for a long time” echoed through her head as she recalled the kiss.

There was a knock on the door. Regina recognised Emma’s blurred shadow on the glass.

“Come in.” She called, straightening her posture and wishing she organised some paperwork to make herself look busy.

Emma entered, smiling, and closed the door behind her. “Sorry I’m late.”

“If you learnt to arrive on time you wouldn’t have to apologise.”

Emma laughed. “This time the reason was work-related.”

“Grumpy drunk again?”

Shaking her head, Emma pressed her lips together as if refusing to tell Regina the reason and took a seat in front of the mayor.

“You wanted to talk, but before you say anything I want to make myself clear.” Regina gave Emma a look that suggested remaining silent was a good idea. “I did not ask you to kiss me. That was your decision and I don’t think…”

“What about being friends?” Of course Emma couldn’t let her finish without interruption. “And remember, I can tell if you’re lying.”

“Miss Swan…”

“Emma.”

“Miss _Swan_ , you know who I am, why would _you_ want to be friends with _me_?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“ _Because I’m the Evil Queen_. Because I hate your mother and want to crush her heart in my hand…”

“But you had the chance and you didn’t.”

“I tried to poison you…”

“I forgive you. Henry has forgiven you.”

Regina was shocked. She hadn’t expected Emma to forgive her for almost killing Henry. It was something Snow White might have done. Emma had always seemed so much more like her father, stubborn and less easily trusting.

“But perhaps you don’t want to be friends with me.” Emma suggested. “I came into town, broke your curse and tried to take Henry away from you. Is that it?”

“No.”

“Is it because Snow White’s my mother?”

“No.”

“Well, don’t make me play twenty questions, just tell me what the problem is.”

“There is no problem.”

“Great.”

“Not with you, anyway.”

“I told you, I don’t care that you used to be the… _Queen_.”

“Well I do.” Regina pushed away from her desk and stood up, her hand curling into a fist as she tried to control the magic feeding off her emotions. “You’re all the good things I wanted to be when I was younger, but I’m not that kind of person. All I know is how to hate and…”

“You love Henry.”

“And when I thought you were taking him away from me, I reacted the way Rumplestiltskin and my mother taught me. With dark magic.”

“If you changed from being good, why can’t you change back?”

“Because I don’t want to!” Regina shock herself with her outburst. “I’m sick of getting hurt whenever I let myself care about someone. I trusted Snow, Rumplestiltskin, my mother… and look what happened. I lost Daniel, my father, Henry and now my mother…”

“You’re not the only one who’s ever lost someone.”

“Really? Who have you lost?”

“I grew up without my parents, I gave Henry away, I didn’t have a family for all those years…”

“And now you have them all and I have nothing.”

Emma looked at Regina and realised she was jealous. “You can still have Henry. We can share him.”

Regina felt a faint tug from her heart at Emma’s words. She almost allowed herself to believe them. Then her mind whispered that it was a trick, that she would eventually loose him again. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more pain.

Emma watched Regina take her seat. The mayor had regained her cool composure and looked back up at Emma.

“I’m sure there are many people in Storybrooke who would love to be friends with the Saviour. I am not one of them.”

Emma wanted to call her on the lie, but a warning sounded in her head. “If you change your mind…”

“I still have a pest-control spell to find. You know the way out.”

“Doesn’t Storybrooke have an exterminator?”

“Not the kind I need.”

“Is this something I should know, as Sheriff?”

“No.”

Regina wasn’t lying, so Emma shrugged and turned away.

~~~

Cora knew it was against the rules. She was only supposed to be in contact with Regina, but to help her daughter she needed an ally. Daniel couldn’t help her, so she had to find someone else.

Henry was in his room at his grandparents home, doing his homework alone. Cora smiled as she watched him. Regina had been a wonderful mother. She knew Henry struggled with the knowledge of her past, but she hoped he would understand it a little more as he grew older.

If anyone could help make Regina believe in love again, it was Henry. He believed in the curse when it was only a story in a book. Regina needed to remember how that felt. Henry could teach her.

She cleared her throat to get his attention. Expecting one of his mom’s, or his grandparents, Henry’s reaction to her presence wasn’t unexpected. He nearly fell backwards out of his chair when he turned around. She supposed Regina had told him what she looked like. Did her daughter still keep that locket containing her picture?

“You’re Cora.” Henry stood behind the chair, holding the back as though to keep it between them.

“Your grandmother, yes.”

“They said you died.”

“I did. Look.” She waved her hand into the top of his desk, frowning at the uncomfortable feeling of passing through a solid object.

“You’re a ghost.” Henry sounded a little more confident with that statement.

Cora could see the questions he wanted to ask. She wanted to smile at his curiosity, tell him that he reminded her of Regina. He was going to help her now. She was sure of it.

“I’m here to help your mother.”

He frowned. “I don’t think she wants your help. She told me who you were. You’re in my story book, but you always wore a mask…”

“I didn’t have my heart. It was returned to me before I died. I came back because I want to help her find love, but I need your help.”

 

Chapter 5.

 

“I need some advice.” Emma said confidentially, taking a seat on one of the stools in the empty diner.

Granny raised an eyebrow but continued wiping down the counter. “But will you listen to it?”

“Huh?”

“You’re a lot like Ruby, you know? If I try to give her advice she doesn’t listen, then when she finally comes to ask me something and doesn’t like what I tell her she still doesn’t listen.”

Emma laughed. “I bet you don’t give up though.”

“’Course not, we’re family.” Granny paused, looking up at her for a minute. “You too, if you still want that advice.”

“I do.”

“Go ahead then.”

Now that she had to get the words out, they stuck in her throat. Emma looked down at her hands, linking and unlinking her fingers. She had come to Granny in the hope of an unbiased, no-nonsense answer. She still wanted that advice.

“How do you convince someone they’re worth caring about? I know I’m supposed to be the Saviour but I don’t even know what that means… Everyone deserves to have someone, even if it’s just a friend but when they say that don’t want one right? A fear of getting hurt isn’t…right.”

“Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting you to say.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No, I thought you were coming in here because you were desperately in love with someone and it was unrequited.” Granny fought at smile at Emma’s reaction to her words. “Wanting a friendship with someone is great, but as with love unless the feeling goes both ways all you can do is be there for them until they need you. Eventually everyone needs someone on their side, no matter who they are. If you truly want to be a friend to them then have patience and wait for a chance to prove yourself.”

“And if it was the other thing? The first one?” Emma still couldn’t look up at her.

“Then you find a way to deal with the pain of the rejection.”

“That’s it? Just give up? Even if I think they might feel the same way but they’re too scared…”

“My dear, with everything that has happened Regina…”

“What?” Emma almost fell off her stool in shock. “I never said…”

Granny rolled her eyes. “Who else in town fits your description? I’ve seen the way you watch each other when the other one’s not looking. Of course, her eyes fill will pain and fear when she realises what she’s doing while you’re looks are about as subtle as Grumpy’s to a line of liquor.”

A blush crawled over Emma’s cheeks and Granny sighed, shaking her head. She tossed the cleaning cloth down by the till and walked around the counter to stand in front of Emma. Looking down at the blonde, she told herself that this was the same advice she would have given her own granddaughter. Of course, if Ruby had fallen for the Evil Queen she would have been sniffing for signs of a spell. Her nose twitched as she considered that possibility, but the only magic she could smell was Emma’s own.

Placing her hands firmly on Emma’s shoulders, she looked into her eyes so the girl would know she was serious. “Life holds no guarantees. Regina may not be ready to…” Granny broke off as the corners of Emma’s mouth fell and the blonde sighed.

“She said it’s because she was the Evil Queen.”

“You’ve already spoken to her?”

Emma just hoped she wasn’t about to give Granny a heart attack. “We kissed.”

Aging wolf reflexes kept Granny on her feet. Her mouth opened but her brain couldn’t formulate the words she needed. She reached behind her to check the position of the nearest stool and sat down. Emma pretended not to notice.

“She pushed me away, telling me she just wants to be alone, that she can’t even see us being friends but I know that when she kissed me back… that second kiss lasted just as long as the first. I just need to know how to make her…”

“Woah there, hold on.” Granny held up a hand as she interrupted. “You go in there trying to make Regina do something, or feel something that she doesn’t want to, or that she’s not ready to, and it won’t end well.”

“But it hurts.” Emma told her, resting her arm on the counter as she leaned in to whisper. “The way I feel about her and the way I _know_ she feels about me. You said it yourself; she looks at me the same way I look at her. What can I do?”

“Oh, Emma.” Granny reached out and laid her hand on Emma’s arm.

~~~

Cora waited impatiently for the hands on the clock to move. It felt like forever since Henry had gone to sleep and until he woke she had no-one to talk to. Part of her wanted to wander around the town and see some of the sights, but she knew she mustn’t be distracted. She considered returning to Regina’s mansion, but with her heart back arguing with her daughter made her uncomfortable. Her gaze landed on Henry’s bookshelf. If only she were able to move objects… With a sigh, she passed through his bedroom door and went to wait downstairs.

“I heard you were back dearie.”

Cora frowned as she reached the bottom step. “How?”

“I’m the Dark One. The shadows whispered to me that you were here.”

“Oh please,” she scoffed. “I bet you’ve just been spying on Regina.”

“I had to ensure she wouldn’t come looking for revenge.” Rumplestiltskin gazed around the apartment and took a seat on the arm of the sofa.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have told Snow about the candle.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have had the candle in the first place,” he countered.

“What do you want?”

“I was just about to ask you the same question.”

“Really? Don’t you know? Didn’t your shadows tell you?”

“Be nice.”

“I’m dead, there’s nothing more you can do to me.”

“I didn’t want you dead, but when it came down to my life or yours…”

“You didn’t even hesitate.”

“We could have been great together. I still don’t understand why you ran from falling in love with me. Together we could have ruled every world.”

“We both had dark powers,” she reminded him. “But it wouldn’t have been enough. I was too focused on revenge and until that was complete…”

“I offered to help you.”

“I had to do it my way.”

“And now?”

Cora considered telling him the truth, if only she could trust him to help her. “I have my heart back.”

“ _So_ ….?” He grinned, as if already knowing what she wanted.

“I want to help my daughter get _her_ heart back.”

 

Chapter 6.

 

Henry woke up alone. At first he thought he had been dreaming, that Cora’s ghost hadn’t really visited him the night before. Then he went downstairs and found his dead grandmother sitting at the kitchen counter, talking to Rumplestiltskin.

“Good morning Henry.” Mr Gold greeted him. “We were just talking about you.”

Henry instantly went on alert.

“About how you can help your mother,” Cora tried to reassure him.

“Oh.”

“Your grandmother seems to think that Regina can finally have her happy ending….if she allows herself to fall in love again.”

“I know, she told me that last night. We have to find a way to convince her that she can find True Love here in Storybrooke.”

“Any ideas?” Cora asked.

“In my book, you gave Grandpa a ring to help him find Grandma….”

“I enchanted his mothers ring,” Rumplestiltskin explained. “It will only work to help him find Snow.”

“But you could do something like that for my mom? Enchant a ring so she can find her True Love?”

“I believe she has already had a chance to find that. Long ago a fairy used their magic dust to help her and she refused to follow it to her True Love. She ran away, back to a life she hated.”

“So only the fairies can help her?”

“Possibly…” Cora looked to Rumplestiltskin for support.

“What do you mean?”

“Regina didn’t bring everyone from the old land over here with us. She may have chosen to leave her True Love behind on purpose.”

“We’ll get Hook’s ship and sail back there, if that’s what she needs.”

Cora smiled; pleased at the way Henry showed how much he loved her daughter with those words. “The Blue Fairy will never agree to give us the dust or the magic to help Regina.”

“I’ll ask for it,” Henry promised her, “and if she won’t give it to me I’ll ask ma to help persuade her.”

“There is something else we should discuss first,” Cora cautioned him.

“What?”

“The person who turns out to be your mother’s True Love…there’s no telling who that may be…”

Henry frowned, “you think she’ll do what she did before? How bad could it be? Her True Love will be someone special, because she deserves to have someone who can love her with all their heart.”

“I agree Henry, and I hope that the person I suspect is her True Love will be the One because they’ve already shown they care for her.”

“Who?”

Cora shook her head, “no, I might be wrong. If I am it could end up hurting Regina, she could lose an important friend.”

Henry tried to think who his grandmother could mean. He didn’t know anyone who his mother called a friend.

“I’ll get the dust and then we’ll know for sure,” he promised her.

~~~

“Can I go to moms for dinner tonight?” Henry asked, trying to look innocent.

Emma was too distracted to notice, but she was still listening to his words. “Have you asked her?”

“Noooo,” he elongated the word, watching Emma tuck into her breakfast, “but I think she’d like me to go and I want to see her.”

“What if you get homework?”

“I can do it at the mansion.”

“You might need schoolbooks you’ve left here.”

“Then I’ll come here first and mom can pick me up.”

“I don’t know, Henry…”

“Please!”

Emma gave in. “Alright, but phone her first. She might have plans.”

Henry rolled his eyes. He knew his mom, she never went anywhere even before the curse. Still, he did as Emma suggested and when he heard how happy she sounded when he asked to visit, he felt a little guilty that he hadn’t spoken to her sooner. With school, the curse breaking, and everything else, the weeks had just flown by. Emma’s schedule at the sheriffs office was hectic, so he’d been spending a lot of time being looked after either by his grandparents or by Ruby and Granny at the diner. Now the end part of his plan set up, all he had to do was get the fairy dust.

~~~

Henry found the Blue Fairy in her garden. He watched her check for dead leaves on the flowers, before tilting the watering can over the soil.

“Good morning, Henry,” she smiled when she saw him.

“Hi.”

“This isn’t your usual route to school, is it?”

“No,” Henry admitted, though that probably had more to do with his mom’s determination to avoid the ex-fairies during her curse.

“How can I help you today?”

Accepting the invitation into the garden, Henry opened the gate and wandered over to her. He considered pretending to take an interest in the garden, but he didn’t want to be late for school, so…

“I need some fairy dust… Please.”

Blue lost her smile and shook her head, “I’m sorry Henry, but…”

“I thought you’re supposed to help people?”

“Perhaps if you explain what you need it for?”

“I can’t… it’s a secret, but it’s to help someone and I promise it’s important or I wouldn’t ask.”

“Only a fairy may use fairy dust.”

“What if…”

“No, I’m sorry Henry, there can be no exceptions.” She turned away.

“Not even for the Saviour?”

Blue paused, but didn’t look back. “Emma has her own magic, why would she need mine? You should go to school, now.”

Henry watched the fairy walk away from him. She placed the watering can at the edge of the garden and went inside.

“Plan B it is,” Henry muttered to himself.

“It sounds like Emma won’t be able to sway her, either,” his otherwise invisible companion added.

Henry turned to Cora, “then we’ll have to go to plan C.”

The corners of Cora’s mouth twitched upwards, “did we have a plan C?”

“Yep, but I’ll need your help.”

~~~

“This is a bad idea, Henry,” Cora whispered, knowing she didn’t have to. “You’re mothers will not be pleased when they find out.”

“What do you have to worry about? You’re already dead.”

“Making you the only one they can punish.”

Henry shrugged, “they love me and when we succeed mom’ll be happy and ma’ll be happy that she’s happy so all will be forgiven.”

“I really hope so.”

“Is this the room?”

“Yes.”

“Now, remember you’re the lookout. No-one can see you so stay right here and only move if you see anyone. Got it?”

When Cora nodded, Henry opened a door and slipped into the room. Breaking into the place where the fairies (now ex-nuns) lived was the only chance to find some fairy dust. Blue had to be hiding it somewhere. Not knowing anything about the building, he had made Cora do a room-by-room search while he was at school. She had found Blue’s hiding place and now, with a ghost keeping watch, he could borrow the fairy dust without getting caught.

Mr Gold had given Cora a magical key, which would open the safe holding the fairy dust and stop any magical alarms from sounding. When Henry pulled back the picture hiding the safe, he frowned. It was a combination lock. How was he supposed to use the key?

Opening the door, he peered around and called to his grandmother.

“What’s wrong?”

“The key won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not a key lock, it’s a dial with numbers.”

“So? It’s a magic key. Have you tried holding it up to the safe?”

Henry paused, “no.”

He closed the door and went back over to do as instructed. As the key touched the dial, it glowed and the metal spun clockwise to a number. Holding the key in place, Henry watched it turn backwards, then forwards again, to new numbers. There was a click and the door swung open. He grinned.

 

Chapter 7.

 

Following Granny’s advice, Emma gave Regina two days of complete space. She avoided the mayor where she could – that meant no phone calls, no accidentally bumping into her at the diner. It was all she could stand. Now she was ready to see if Regina had missed her.

Grabbing some random case files from her desk, Emma carried them out to her car and drove over to the town hall. They were her excuse for visiting. It had been part guilt, part hopelessness, which had made Snow give Regina back her job. Regina had settled back into being mayor with ease, and surprisingly no-one had questioned it. At least, not in Emma’s hearing.

She knocked on Regina’s door. There was no-one there to stop her, the secretary had probably gone on a break. She heard Regina call out a ‘come in’ and she closed the door behind her when she entered.

“I’ve got some files for you…” Emma began.

She stared at Regina in surprise. The usually unruffled mayor looked decidedly ruffled. Her hair looked a little wild, there were bags under her eyes and Emma swore she could make out a crease in the front of Regina’s grey dress.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just leave the files over there,” Regina pointed to her ‘IN’ tray.

“Regina…”

“Please, don’t.”

Emma watched her close her eyes and bring a hand up to her temple as though she had a headache. She had never seen Regina like this. Not since that night in the rain.

“Oh god, what happened?” Emma moved around the desk towards her, kneeling in front of Regina and touching the hand still resting on the arm of the chair.

Regina didn’t pull away from her, “nothing works.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve tried every spell I can lay my hands on and… I must be going crazy, or something. It just can’t be real.”

“Do you want me to call Dr Whale?”

Regina sighed, “maybe.”

“Talk to me.”

“She won’t leave me alone. I just, I can’t deal with it right now.”

“Who?”

“I’m being haunted, by my mother’s ghost.”

“Cora?”

Regina nodded, opening her eyes to look at Emma as she began to cry. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“I’ll help you. We’ll talk to Gold and work something out.”

“What if it’s all in my head?”

“Well… I’m sure Archie can figure out why, and maybe with everything that’s happened…”

“You’re always here, whenever something goes wrong…”

Emma pulled back, “what?”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Regina quickly tried to reassure her, “It’s just… I wanted to say that you’re always here for me, trying to help. I don’t understand…”

“I told you. I care…”

Regina reached out, brushing a hand through blonde curls and taking a deep breath. “You don’t know, you can’t understand who I was. I don’t deserve someone like you, I…”

“Someone like me? Regina, just because Henry’s book calls me the Saviour it doesn’t mean I’m Snow White – bad example, but you know what I mean. We’ve both got things in our past that we’re not proud of, but we turned out lives around, we chose to change and now…”

“Yes?”

Emma took a deep breath, standing up and holding out a hand to help Regina to her feet. “Now we have a chance to choose what happens next.”

Regina wiped at the moisture gathered under her eyes and accepted Emma’s hand, “thank you.”

“Let’s go find Gold, okay?”

Regina nodded, but didn’t let go of Emma’s hand. She allowed the blonde to lead her out of the room, to go to Rumplestiltskin’s shop.

~~~

Henry was practically skipping as he headed back home. He had decided it was too late to go back to school and Cora hadn’t mentioned it, either. Mr Gold had magicked a letter excusing him from classes ~~~Henry couldn’t remember if they had used a dentist appointment or something else – and promised to deliver it.

“Shouldn’t we head straight to your mother?” Cora asked, checking the road was safe for Henry to cross.

“We don’t know how the dust works,” he reminded her, spotting a break in the town’s minimal road traffic, “and we need to make sure she’s going to follow it to wherever it leads…. Also, I have to think about how to explain the facts that one: I have the dust, and two: where and when I got it. So we’re going home first, to pretend that everything is normal – well, as normal as anything can be in a town where fairy dust and ghosts exist.”

“How much longer do we have to wait?”

“I’m having dinner with her tomorrow evening. I’ll use it then.”

“Very well.”

“Are you going to stay at ours again?”

“It would probably be best. I don’t think Regina wishes to see me at the moment.”

“I’m sure once she knows how much you’ve tried to help her things will be different.”

Cora nodded. She didn’t know how to tell Henry that once Regina had found her happy ending she would have to leave.

~~~

Henry told Cora he had homework to do and promised to study for the lessons he’d missed. Leaving the television on downstairs for her to watch, he went up to his room. There, he changed into his jeans and a t-shirt, before transferring the dust from his backpack to a safe location in his room. He looked around to make sure he was still alone, then gently lifted his window and climbed outside.

The last thing he wanted was his grandmother’s ghost following him. Just because she said she was reformed didn’t mean he had to believe her. Having Gold on her side wasn’t much of an endorsement either. So, in case they wanted to use the dust for their own evil schemes, he was going to do a little research of his own and make sure he knew how to use it without their help.

~~~

There was a sign on the door. The antiques shop was closed. Emma and Regina lingered on the pavement outside, waiting to see if the doorbell could call the imp forth.

“I thought Rumplestiltskin could see the future?” Emma muttered. “You’d think he’d know we were coming and keep the shop open.”

“Perhaps he knows he can’t help.”

“Or maybe he’d just distracted,” Emma suggested, as her eyes wandered over to the clock tower, then down to the library below. “I bet wherever he is, he’s with Belle.”

“They could be anywhere. The diner, out for a walk…”

Emma smiled, “let’s try the library first.”

She grabbed Regina’s arm, before she could change her mind, following her instincts towards the town’s largest collection of books. Since they’d left the town hall, Regina had regained some of her outer composure and stopped holding Emma’s hand. Holding onto Regina’s arm was just an excuse to regain contact. She hoped the other woman wouldn’t notice.

“If he isn’t there, I’ll call him this evening,” Regina informed her, wondering whether to inform the blonde that there was a quicker route to the library. “I refuse to go chasing him around the town.”

“So how long have you been seeing your mother’s ghost?”

“A while.”

“Straight after she died?”

“No.” Regina tried steering Emma left, but her gentle hints went unnoticed.

“Did she say why she’s here?”

“To ‘ _help me_ ’, but that’s what she always used to say…. Emma, why are we going this way? We could have made several different turns and been at the library by now.”

“You noticed that, huh?”

“I’ve lived in this town for over thirty years. I could walk these streets blindfolded.”

Emma shrugged, “I just thought we’d detour towards the diner on the way and see if Gold and Belle are in there.”

“Oh,” Regina was slightly less annoyed, “I do wish you’d told me.”

“I hoped you trusted me. Did you think I was lost?”

Regina rolled her eyes, “it wouldn’t surprise me.”

 

Chapter 8.

 

“Hey Henry,” Belle greeted him as he entered the library. “What can I help you with today?”

He was her most frequent visitor, after Rumple, so even if his mothers weren’t two of the most famous women in town she would have gotten to know his name.

“Nothing, I just thought I’d come and browse for a while if that’s okay?”

“Of course, go right ahead.”

Nearly a quarter of an hour later, Henry heard the library doors open and the sound of familiar voices.

“I told you to buy something if you were hungry,” Emma told Regina, holding the paper bag from Granny’s out of the other woman’s reach.

“You’re supposed to share.”

Henry peered through a gap in the bookshelf then crouched down to hide from view. Technically school had finished, so he shouldn’t be in trouble for visiting the library, but Emma had her in-built lie detector and he didn’t want her to get suspicious about why he was there.

“Good afternoon,” Belle greeted the newcomers, wondering whether they were looking for Henry or if the library was suddenly becoming popular.

“Belle!” Emma sounded relieved to see her, “is Mr Gold here with you?”

“Rumple? No, he’s said he had something important to do.”

“Did he say when he’d be back?”

“Sorry. Perhaps I can help?”

Regina interrupted before Emma could blab her secret, “no. Would you ask him to call me when he returns.”

“Sure.”

“Maybe we should take a look around?” Emma whispered to Regina as Belle turned away.

“Why?” Regina asked, continuing the whispered conversation.

“You know… research? While we wait for Gold?”

“This is a normal library Emma. They won’t have the kind of books I’d need.”

“You don’t know that. Just ask Belle.”

“No!”

“Do you want me to?”

Regina grabbed Emma’s arm to stop her moving, “no! I wish I’d never told you.”

“Did I hear someone make a wish?” Gold’s lilting voice came from behind them.

Regina and Emma spun around, the little imp having made a soundless entry because the door was still open.

“This was a mistake. We’re leaving,” Regina told Emma, keeping hold of her arm.

“I doubt you’d have spent so much time with Miss Swan here if it wasn’t important.”

“How did you know…”

“I spotted the two of you around town. Had I realised it was me you were after, well I would have enjoyed watching the entertainment even more.”

“Regina needs your help,” Emma blurted out, staring defiantly at the other woman as she told him.

“I’m always happy to help, dearie.”

“I’m not so certain that I’m willing to pay the cost for your help.”

“Until you tell me what it is that you require…”

Noticing the open door, and knowing how easily someone could enter the library while they spoke, Regina shook her head, “not here.”

“Where then?”

“My house. Ten minutes.”

As soon as Gold nodded, Regina used her magic to transport away. Surprised by his mother’s use of magic, Henry stood up, knocking a few books from the shelf when he tried to steady himself. Having caught the attention of the remaining adults, he walked out to meet them.

“So, what’s going on?” he asked Emma.

“Nothing to worry about kid.”

“My mom wants Rumplestiltskin’s help,” he pointed out, “that usually means something serious is happening.”

“As I’m sure you heard, I have no idea,” Gold was quick to claim innocence, “but I should leave now to make the appointment and find out.”

His exit left Henry staring at Emma.

“You know,” he stated calmly.

“Yes. Your mother told me in confidence.”

“She’s my mom...”

“Perhaps once Gold has helped, she will tell you.”

“But…”

“Shouldn’t you be at the loft?”

“I just came to get some books.”

“It’s nearly time for dinner. You can come back tomorrow after school.”

“Fine, let me grab my stuff.”

Henry disappeared behind the bookshelves, frantically trying to fit a half-dozen oversized books in his bag and hoping at least one of them would have the answers he sought. Emma waited for him, deciding to walk him home before heading over the mansion. She wanted to be there to support Regina. If she took her car she could drive faster than Gold could walk there.

~~~

“You know why she wants to see you,” Cora followed Gold down the road.

She had been watching, invisible, after following him into the library. Part of her was curious to see the Dark One interacting with the librarian he claimed to love. Now that he was on his own again, she felt it safe enough to reappear.

“Perhaps.”

“What are you going to tell her?”

“The truth. That Henry has the fairy dust and can help find her happy ending.”

“No, it’s too soon. He has it all planned out, and he wants Emma to be there…”

“The quicker she finds out, the happier she’ll be. Right now all she knows is that her mothers ghost is hanging around and we must prove to her that you’re here to help.”

“Anyway Henry has the dust.”

Raising a single eyebrow, Gold smiled, “it’s called magic, dearie and now I have the phial.”

“You stole from our grandson?”

“The fairy dust _he_ took from the fairies? Yes.”

Cora shook her head again, “it doesn’t feel right.”

“I thought this was the plan? To help find her True Love using the dust.”

“I know, but…”

“You’re afraid it won’t work, that you killed her only chance…”

“That was the old me! I didn’t have my heart…”

“And I’m assuming that you’re here because there’s someone out there for her to love and who will love her in return…”

“I know there is, I’m not worried about that!”

“Then what is it?”

“She needs to be ready, to want to find love. If she doesn’t, she’ll only run from it again and then…. I don’t know what will happen. It could be her last chance.”

Gold stopped walking and turned to Cora, wishing he could reach out and touch her just for a moment, “there is no right time, or wrong time to fall in love. I believe Regina’s heart is strong enough for this. Now I need to stop at my shop and collect a fairy wand to use the dust, and then we are going to do this. We will help her together.”

“And if the dust leads somewhere unexpected? Promise you won’t say anything to discourage her.”

“I owe her that much.”

~~~

Emma rang the doorbell, listening for a sign that Regina was coming to open the door. When it finally opened, the other woman didn’t look surprised to see her.

“I can deal with Gold on my own.”

“No-one should have to, and I want to help.”

“Come on in,” Regina stepped out of the way, then closed the door behind her, “but if you interfere…”

“As Sheriff I’m here to protect the citizens of Storybrooke and Gold can be dangerous.”

“So can I,” Regina reminded her, “and I have known him far longer than you.”

“Good,” Emma nodded, “then you won’t do anything stupid like make a deal with him without knowing exactly what he wants in return.”

They were at the bottom of the staircase. Regina was about to ask whether she wanted to go into the kitchen for something to drink when Emma stepped closer making her forget the words.

“Are you going to ‘accidentally’ kiss me again?” Regina asked.

Emma smiled as she remembered, “are you going to kiss me back?”

Despite the fact that at the back of her mind she was worrying about her mother, a stronger part of Regina’s brain took over in that moment. She leaned forwards and kissed Emma.

As soon as they broke apart, Regina could feel the presence of dark magic. She turned away just in time to see Gold appear.

“Let’s get down to business,” Gold rubbed his hands together, “you need my help.”

“Yes,” Regina felt a little more confident while Emma remained at her side. “I know it’s impossible but I keep seeing my mother, even though she’s dead. I’m not sure whether it’s magic, someone trying to mess with me, or a psychological reaction to her death… why are you smiling?”

“Because I can help you.”

“You know something about this, don’t you?” Emma suddenly accused him, “are you responsible for it?”

“Not in the slightest. Cora’s ghost is haunting Regina of her own free will.”

“She’s real?” Regina leant back against Emma for support.

“Yes dearie, as much as a ghost can be I suppose.”

“You’ve seen her?”

“Of course.”

“When, and why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’ve been very busy, but as I said I can help you.”

“How? What do you want in return?”

“Actually the help comes from someone else, I am merely accelerating his plans.”

“His? Not Cora’s then?” Emma frowned, feeing as though he was telling the truth and puzzled.

Gold held out the phial of fairy dust so Regina could see it, “I think you’ll recognise this.”

“Where did you get that?” she asked, at the same time Emma spoke: “What is it?”

Regina and Gold shared as look as they answered Emma’s question, “fairy dust.”

 

Chapter 9.

 

Hidden away, Henry listened to their conversation. He supposed it was a little strange to have snuck into his own home, but none of the grown-ups wanted to tell him what was going on and if it was going to interfere with his own plans he needed to know. So he had climbed in through the downstairs window of Regina’s study, before moving to the door and waiting to hear Gold arrive. There had been no way to know where his mother was in the house and if she happened to pass that way he could hide under the desk or behind the large curtains. Now he realised that Gold had fairy dust, he checked his bag. It was his fairy dust! Regretting trusting the Dark One, he opened the door. The adults looked at him in surprise, before Emma calmly asked what he was doing there.

“I thought I told you to go to Snow’s for dinner?”

“I just wanted to see if Gold was going to mess up my plan and I was right. He stole the fairy dust from me!”

“Where did you get fairy dust young man?”

Henry bit his lip, looking at the ground, “the fairies, where else?”

“There’s something you’re not telling us.”

“Don’t be mad.”

“What happened?”

“I might have stolen it from Blue…. but only because she wouldn’t give it to me!”

“You stole fairy dust, from the fairies?”

Gold mumbled just loud enough for them to hear, ‘like mother, like son’.

“I stole food to eat, because someone created a curse that sent me away from my parents,” Emma reminded him, “and went to jail for something _your son_ stole.”

“Cora helped…” the words slipped out before Henry could stop them, wanting them to stop fighting and thinking an adult accomplice would make everything sound better.

“You too?” Regina asked, “is there anyone in this town my mother hasn’t visited?”

“I haven’t seen her,” Emma quickly assured her. “Now Henry, you need to take that fairy dust back to Blue and apologise.”

“But it’s the only way to help mom.”

“Fairy dust doesn’t work on ghosts,” Regina told him. “Gold should know that.”

“It’s not for Cora,” Gold tried to explain.

“We’re finding your True Love,” Henry blurted out.

They all watched Regina for a reaction, but she disappointed them by remaining calm. Henry repeated his previous statement, going over to stand in front of her.

Regina didn’t know what to tell him, “Henry…”

“Cora said she came back to help you and if you find your True Love you’ll be happy again.”

“I’m happy now.”

“No, you’re not. The fairy dust can help.”

“Magic always comes with a price.”

“This is good magic, it’s different.”

“And who says I need to find my True Love, anyway? I’m fine…”

Having followed Henry and watched while invisible, Cora chose that moment to appear, “you deserve someone special. I don’t want you to be alone.”

“Okay, now I see her,” Emma whispered to Regina.

“We all do, Miss Swan,” Gold smiled at her.

“Yes,” Cora rolled her eyes, “and I’m probably breaking a dozen rules for letting you, but this was all taking too long.”

“Mother you need to leave.”

“Not until I make up for my mistakes. I want you to remember who you were, Regina. I want you have someone who loves you the way you deserve.”

“Are you going to bring my father here? Or Daniel? I would believe the words from them, but you never cared about my happiness. If a ghost had to visit me, why couldn’t it be one of them?”

Then Emma’s hand slipped into hers and Regina wished the stable boy wasn’t such a distant memory. If Daniel here, she could focus on her love for him and try to forget the way she felt around Emma. It had been so long since she had seen him, but his death had made her strong. He was her One True Love. She had cursed an entire realm to get revenge. The attraction to Emma felt different because she knew the other woman could never _be_ her Daniel.

“Your father and the stable boy loved you, but I’m the one who needs to make things right. I ruined your chance for love once before, and perhaps Daniel was a possible True Love match for you but he is gone and you’re still alive. All it takes is a little fairy dust and I can prove that you can find another True Love.”

“All I want is for you to leave me alone. I don’t trust you.”

“I can perform the magic with the fairy dust,” Gold offered.

“Right now I trust you less than usual. If you knew about my mother’s ghost why didn’t you tell me? What twisted little plan have you worked up together?”

“Regina,” Emma tried to hold on, but the other woman’s hand slipped from her grasp.

“No. If you’re going to take their side you can leave too.”

“What are you really afraid of?”

Regina spun to face her, raising her eyebrows in surprise, “he is the Dark One and that ghost is supposedly my mother. Do you not understand that?”

“But if fairy dust is good magic, it can’t harm you right? So let them do it.”

“Have you completely lost your mind?”

Gold cleared his throat, “I would be willing to allow Miss Swan to borrow the wand for the time it takes to use the fairy dust, on the understanding that it is returned to me immediately after.”

“Okay,” Emma nodded her agreement, eager to help.

Regina spluttered as she looked around, “it’s a stolen fairy wand! Do you think he just went up to a fairy and asked them nicely if he could borrow it?”

Cora spoke up, “and Henry stole the fairy dust. Blue will probably realise it’s missing and come looking for it soon so we should use it quickly.”

“Give us a moment,” Emma asked, taking Regina’s arm and leading her into the study.

She closed the door and stood between it and Regina, “this is your chance. I won’t let anything bad happen, I promise.”

“What if…?”

“No arguments Regina. We are going to do this. It’s what your mother wants and you said it yourself, you want to get rid of her again.”

“But…”

“Trust me.”

Regina nodded, “I do.”

Emma smiled, “then let’s go and thank Henry and find your True Love.”

“Emma, Daniel was my True Love before I became the Evil Queen. What sort of person could be my True Love now?”

Opening her arms and waiting for Regina to step into the hug, because she didn’t want to force one on her, Emma continued to smile, “someone who knows you’re not her, someone who can match your capacity for love. Look at how much you love Henry. No-one who was really evil could love like that.”

Cautious, Regina moved towards Emma and slipped her hands around Emma’s waist, “what about you? We should use the fairy dust to help you find your True Love.”

“I’m already in love,” Emma whispered, and leaned forward to kiss her.

At that same moment, impatient to get back to Belle, Gold knocked on the door. Regina and Emma had been alone only a few minutes, but that was more than enough time in his opinion.

“Time is wasting, dearies,” he called.

“Ready?” Emma asked her.

Regina nodded.

 

Chapter 10.

 

_One year later…._

 

Regina rubbed her hands together, realising she envied Archie’s large umbrella. He always seemed to know when it was going to rain and came prepared. If only she had thought to bring her umbrella.

Her car had been dropped off at the mechanic’s straight after work so that it could be repaired first thing in the morning and Storybrooke wasn’t famous for it’s buses so her transport options were limited.

It was so cold! She knew she had to keep moving if she wanted to stay warm. The Rabbit Hole would be open, but she couldn’t face going in there. She kept walking. Her mind replaying the argument she’d had earlier. Perhaps storming out hadn’t been the best idea. Usually she was more in control. She always checked the weather before heading out and brought her scarf and gloves if it was going to be cold.

At some point she had stopped caring which direction she took. Now she looked around she realised she had been going in circles.

“Regina.”

She winced at the thought that someone had spotted her, but then she recognised the voice and turned around. Facing her stood Emma, also without an umbrella or her scarf and gloves. Flattened blonde curls hung out of the sides of her hood and she reached out a hand.

“I’m sorry.”

Regina just stared at her, waiting.

“Please, come home.”

“I need some time alone.”

“It’s raining.”

“I’ve got a hood.”

“At least come back and get an umbrella. Or you could take my car if you want to go for a drive.”

Regina couldn’t stop the corner of her lips from lifting at the thought of driving Emma’s yellow death-trap. Encouraged, Emma took a small step forward.

“Come on.” She lifted her hand a little higher, in case Regina hadn’t seen it.

“I haven’t forgiven you.” Regina informed her.

“I know.”

“I’m just coming back for an umbrella.”

“Okay.”

Regina bit her bottom lip and reached out to take hold of Emma’s hand. “I’m still upset.”

“I understand.” Emma adjusted their fingers to make them more comfortable.

They started walking home. As they passed under a streetlamp, Regina glanced at Emma. She didn’t understand why it was so hard to stay angry with her. After years of holding on to negative emotions it should have been easier. She still struggled to face Snow White without feeling something dark lingering over her heart, but with Emma it was just the opposite. Every time they argued or fought she just wanted to give in, even when Emma was clearly in the wrong. She still worried that her mother had been right. Love was making her weak.

At the front door, Regina fished in her pocket for her keys (it was pointless asking Emma to find hers, they would be standing there for days), while Emma kept hold of her other hand. As Regina looked up, to connect the key to the lock, her view was blocked.

“I love you.” Emma whispered to her.

Regina sighed, as though the words were more effective than the previous apologies. “I love you too.”

She let Emma kiss her, knowing that the fight was over, the reason fading from her memory. At least Henry hadn’t been home to witness it. He was at a friend’s house, enjoying a sleepover.

They went inside, removing their wet coats and hanging them in the hall. Emma kicked her shoes off and looked in the nearest mirror, making a face when she saw the state of her hair.

“Why don’t I run a nice hot bath, then we can have an early night.” Regina suggested.

Her True Love raised an eyebrow and smiled, “race you.”

Watching her take the stairs two-at-a-time, Regina smiled to herself. At first the idea of Emma being her True Love confused her. They seemed so different on the surface, and there were so many reasons why it wouldn’t work. Now when felt her heart growing every time she looked at Emma she knew it was real. Even though they fought. Even when they said or did something to confuse, annoy or whatever else to the other person, they kept finding a way to stay together. Regina knew she wanted to be with Emma.

From the first moment she accepted that, when the fairy dust showed them the truth, her heart felt complete. With Henry and Emma in her life, she had found love again, something she never thought possible after Daniel’s death.

“Thanks mom,” she whispered, remembering how Cora had returned and helped make this possible.

She didn’t know whether she was listening – and climbing up the stairs to the bathroom she hoped she wasn’t watching – but now she finally had a memory where her mother had shown her real love.

~~~

The air shimmered for a second, before the scene was lost. Daniel turned to Cora and smiled.

“I told you.”

“Thank you, for forgiving me and helping Regina to do the same.”

Their glimpses into the realm of the living were brief, controlled by powers far greater than even they understood, but moments like that – moments they needed to see – were always available.

“She’ll be happy now,” Daniel promised her. “Though in this new world, much like ours, there is no guarantee, but she has Henry and Emma. She’s found her heart again, thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do it alone.”

“But you were there for her, you helped and sometimes even the smallest act can make a big difference. Whatever the future holds, whatever darkness she has to face…”

“She’s strong enough to hold onto the light. I know.”

“Come on, there are a few other people I’d like you to meet.”

“Oh good, I was beginning to think we were the only ones here.”

Daniel laughed, “there was no time to waste and you wanted to help Regina as soon as your heart was returned.”

“Well I’m here now, so I’m sure there are others I need to apologise to, but what about...” Cora pointed to the place where they had been watching the living realms.

“Don’t worry, time isn’t quite the same here as it was back there. You’ll have plenty of chances to check back in on Regina.”

“And I can go back, if she needs help again?”

Daniel shook his head, “that was a one-time only thing, and you should probably keep it a secret. If the others knew you had been allowed…”

“I never pegged you for a rule-breaker, stable-boy.”

“That wasn’t breaking the rules, that was…”

“Helping Regina. I understand. Thank you, again.”

~~~

**THE END.**

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> AN: So, that’s it all done. I know I skipped the fairy dust ‘reveal’ and a whole year, but the up’s and down’s of relationships would take too long and this story was supposed to be about Cora’s ghost and that’s where I thought it best to end.


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